Tag Archives: women in Costa Rica

We can all agree that one day a year is not enough to express the love we have for our moms. And no gift that we choose can be great enough to perfectly honor the fact that our moms brought us into the world and have loved us for our entire lives.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are forever indebted to our mothers. That’s why every August 15th in Costa Rica we ask ourselves, and now what can I give my mom? We make a long list in our minds of possibilities on the market, which bombards us with options of different products that would obligate us to set aside a big chunk of our paycheck to finance the endeavor. Which is the best gift: perfume, a blouse, a purse, an electronic or maybe a massage?

Let’s stop for a moment and analyze the situation. They dedicate their lives to see us grow up and be happy, without ever needing to go to a store and buy “love” to give us. The best Mother’s Day gift is all of the love, respect, understanding and dedication that we can shower on them. A few more days of the year should be dedicated to recognize the value of our moms, but the best thing would be to celebrate our moms each of the 365 days of the year…just because they deserve it.

If you follow our blog, you may remember Vera. Vera is on the staff at Instituto Estelar where she does an amazing job of keeping our school clean and beautiful. She is a single mom who works very hard to provide for her family. Her two children are happy, healthy, and able to attend English classes at our institute thanks to generous donators who want to help them improve their situation.

Vera is very humble and does not like to ask for help. However, with the rainy season upon us, she found that her house has various leaks and is prone to flooding. Although her home is basically made of simple sheet metal, it is surprisingly expensive to buy the materials necessary to fix the problems. The repairs, which come out to be about $400, are much more than she can afford.

Please help fix Vera’s house! Even a small donation can make a big difference for Vera and her children. If you are able to help, please contact us at info@estelarcr.com to find out how you can give.

It was a fast decision to come to Costa Rica. I feel like I didn’t even think it through or research it like you really should before moving to a different country. But I remember thinking that if I didn’t do it, then I would wonder what I had missed every minute of every day after that.

It was less than a month between the time that the idea was introduced to me and the day I was on a plane headed to Liberia, Costa Rica – a place much different than the small town in California where I went to college and the even smaller town where I grew up.

Although I grew up in California, a place famous for beautiful beaches, I really hadn’t seen very many. Now, according to my pictures, I have been to at least 25 gorgeous beaches that each have a string of memories to go with them. Besides the beaches, I have visited rivers, waterfalls, volcanoes, and national parks that are too beautiful to put into words. Beyond all that, I have met countless awesome people, seen plenty of incredible animals, tried many new foods, learned a beautiful language, experienced and become accustomed to a different culture, and adopted a more relaxed, stress-free lifestyle that makes me thankful every day for the choice I made to come here.

My time in Costa Rica has also taught me a lot about myself and my own culture. Before I came here, I really didn’t think that I had much of a culture. I was often jealous in college when I met people who had customs and traditions that gave them a sense of pride and unity with those in their group. But in teaching my students about things I know well like Halloween Trick-or-Treating, Thanksgiving stuffing and pumpkin pie, hand-written Valentines, Easter egg hunts, and having a really good hamburger at a Sunday barbeque, I realized that I have a culture to share and be proud of. I love telling people about the way things are in my country and discussing the many differences between California and Costa Rica.

Even though I know now that I made the right decision, it was really intimidating for me to make the move to Costa Rica where I didn’t know anyone and I hardly spoke the language. I had to be serious and I had to be quick. I had to be open to new possibilities and I had to be willing to try new things. I think in the end that if I had really thought it through, I might have backed down. I might have chickened out and said ‘no I can’t do this’. But I didn’t over think it and I didn’t let it scare me. I said ‘yes’ and like that I made the best decision of my life. It might not always be true, but my year in Costa Rica has convinced me that sometimes fast decisions are the best decisions that you can make.

Sharai Kirk, writer of this blog, has been in Costa Rica for a year, studying Spanish and teaching English at Instituto Estelar Bilingüe in Liberia.

You live in Costa Rica – the most obvious pro is that you have the opportunity to live in an amazing place with beautiful beaches, national parks, waterfalls, and volcanoes to explore.

You don’t live in your own country– it’s not easy to leave everything you know behind. Although you are living in an exquisite country, you are not in your own country and this can be difficult at times.

You get to meet people and make new friends – living in Costa Rica and traveling around Central America gives you the chance to meet people that you never would have met if you had stayed in your home country.

You don’t get to see your old friends regularly – although Skype and Facebook make it possible to stay in touch with your good friends back home, it can be difficult at times because you can’t see them on a regular basis.

You have the chance to learn Spanish – although your job is 100% in English, everything else around you isn’t. This makes it easier to learn Spanish because you are not only immersed in it, but you need it at times to get what you want and need.

You have to be patient to learn Spanish – learning Spanish takes time and it can be difficult, especially at the beginning, to understand. Hearing announcements, reading signs, and talking to people are some things that can make you feel nervous or uncomfortable when you don’t speak or understand very much of the language.

The weather – even in the rainy season, Costa Rica is always warm. Sweaters and jackets are rarely needed, whereas shorts and tank tops are always appropriate.

The weather – there are days in Liberia when the heat is unbearable. Usually it is a dry heat, but during changing seasons, the humidity and heat make it difficult to sleep, walk to work, or go anywhere without a fan.

Expenses – things like rent, water and electricity, and traveling by bus are cheap when compared to prices in United States or Canada.

Expenses – Costa Rica is quite expensive compared to the surrounding Latin American countries. This can make it difficult to save money. Things like food, clothes, shoes, and personal items are overpriced and often lack the quality that you would expect for paying such a high price.

You can try new foods – moving to a new country gives you the opportunity to try the foods from the culture. You can also learn to cook typical dishes and add them into your recipe book to use now and in the future.

You may have to give up some culinary favorites – Some foods that you love may not be available here. If they are available, they may cost more than you are used to paying. While there are some very delicious foods in Costa Rica, the selection is different than what you might find in the United States or Canada.

You are able to live a very simple, carefree life – Costa Rica offers a pura vida lifestyle that makes it possible to relax and live a slow-paced life.

You may get addicted to the simplicity – the longer our teachers stay in Costa Rica, the harder it can be for them to return to their home country.

What our teachers have to say:

Carrie: “Teaching in Costa Rica makes you feel like part of the community. There’s a great cultural exchange between the teachers and students that’s a lot of fun for everyone. Also, beaches!!!”

Stephanie: “It’s an amazing, beautiful place to live with nice people. But it’s so hot!”

Nate: “There is no better way to learn a language. It truly is an adventure.”

Sharai: “I love living in Costa Rica! Teaching is fun and it feels good to watch your students advance. I am worried though that I will never leave – I have already extended my stay 6 months!”

Kate: “Living and teaching in Costa Rica has been an adventure, for sure, but acclimating and adjusting to the culture was seamless; the people here have been warm and welcoming and while I may be over 3,000 miles from where I grew up, I’ve never felt as at home as I do in Costa Rica.”

Adam: “It’s definitely an immersive experience in a welcoming culture. Teaching English in this environment is incredible – you feel useful and driven to give as much as you get.”

“I think the best way of doing good to the poor is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it.” -Benjamin Franklin

At Instituto Estelar Bilingüe, we believe that education can be the greatest fighter of poverty. For this reason, we are excited about an up-and-coming non-profit organization right here in Liberia! Instituto Estelar is proud to support the efforts of Club A, an organization dedicated to helping local underprivileged children continue in school and excel. Club A provides tutoring, English lessons, and a healthy snack to select groups of children from Nazareth Elementary School. In addition, Club A is raising funds to help pay for the expensive books, uniforms, and supplies that can make attending school difficult or impossible for many Costa Rican children. Instituto Estelar is getting involved by providing the space for these activities as well as English-speaking volunteers. We are delighted to be part of this amazing cause and excited to see the amazing work that Club A will do for the children of Liberia!

You can get involved! Donations and volunteers are needed to help the organization grow and to help as many students as possible. For more information, contact ClubALiberia@gmail.com or donate below.

Forget the luxury resorts and pricy hotels – try camping instead! Camping is a fun, inexpensive way to get out and see Costa Rica! There are many beaches and other beautiful places to camp for FREE! Other spots, like national parks and designated camping zones, may cost up to $10 per night. Although this does require a small fee, these places usually have bathrooms and showers to use so that you don’t have to “rough it” completely. Wherever you decide to camp, you will find that it is a relaxing, pura vida way to spend your next vacation. Get a group of friends or family together and camp out on your favorite beach for a beautiful, unique adventure!

If you are planning to go camping, here are some things you might need:

Tent – under $20 at Maxi Pali! Be sure to get a rain cover in case of bad weather.

Yoga Mat or Air Mattress (optional) – for those who can’t sleep on the hard ground, these are relatively inexpensive items that can make the nights more comfortable. Yoga mats are $15 at Jumbo, Air Mattresses are $20-$35 in the mall (depending on the size).

Sheet or blanket – it depends where you go, but a sheet is usually enough to stay warm at night

Flashlights – because it gets dark at 6pm in Costa Rica, it is very important to bring a flashlight! They cost $5-10 and can be found in most stores. It is also a good idea to bring extra batteries.

Pillow – bringing your regular pillow can make sleeping much easier. If you find it hard to pack, try rolling it up and clipping it to the side of your backpack.

Food – pack food according to the number of days you plan to camp. Some great camping foods include: tuna sandwiches (canned tuna and bread), bean burritos (tortillas and packaged beans), meat (if you bring a grill or build a fire), nuts and chips

Toilet Paper – even in the places with bathrooms, there isn’t always toilet paper.

Water – some places don’t have clean drinking water. You should call before your trip to find out if there is water available for purchase nearby.

Other Items – clothes, swimsuit, towel(s), sunscreen, mosquito repellent, toiletries, plastic silverware and plates, cash, matches, a fold-out chair ($15 in the Mall), a grill and charcoal, a book, cards or games

Happy camping!

Spanish students, who are also English teachers, from Instituto Estelar Bilingüe camping in Manual Antonio.

With the Women’s World Cup starting this weekend, people from all over the world will be traveling to Liberia to watch the games. Before they come, however, a few groups wanted to clean up the city by picking up the trash that litters the streets. Instituto Estelar joined other companies and universities to do a trash pick-up at 7:30am yesterday. We worked for nearly three hours, making our way through various parts of the city. Before we left, we enjoyed cold water and sandwiches that were donated to the project.

It was rewarding to see the transformation of the streets we covered, and to be thanked by local people walking by. However, it was very discouraging to see new bags of garbage carelessly thrown on the ground in an area we had just finished cleaning.

Picking up trash is a humble task that is great volunteer work, but it will not completely solve the problem. There is a lack of education that needs to be addressed. Many people in Guanacaste grew up seeing signs on the bus that say “Throw garbage out the windows.” Although this is not seen on the buses today, it is this bad education that leads people to continue to litter and damage the beauty of Liberia.

Instituto Estelar Bilingüe plans to get involved in more trash pick-up events. We are also interested in starting an anti-littering campaign, starting with children in our kids classes and upcoming tutoring programs. With greater awareness of the problem and regular clean-ups, we hope that Liberia will be cleaner, prettier, and more appealing in the future.

Buses used to encourage throwing garbage out the window. Thank goodness that is no longer the case; however, old habits die hard.